noun
doppelganger
DOPL-geh-nguh
Doppelganger (noun) means someone who looks strikingly like another person, or a ghostly double of a living person. Example: “I saw my doppelganger on the train — it was uncanny.”
noun
1
Someone who looks strikingly like another person, or a ghostly double of a living person.
"The uncanniness provoked by doppelgangers is particularly acute because the thing that becomes unfamiliar is you."
— Naomi Klein, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World (2023)
"I saw my doppelganger on the train — it was uncanny."
"In the myth, meeting your doppelganger was a bad omen."
How to use doppelganger
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person who looks almost identical to you (or someone else), sometimes with a spooky folklore meaning.
Common pairings
find your doppelganger
evil doppelganger
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Word forms
- Plural
- doppelgangers
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I saw my _____ on the train — it was uncanny.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from German Doppelgänger, literally "double-walker."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for doppelganger
See all rhymes for doppelganger →Frequently asked questions
What does “doppelganger” mean?
The word “doppelganger” means someone who looks strikingly like another person, or a ghostly double of a living person. In plain terms, a person who looks almost identical to you (or someone else), sometimes with a spooky folklore meaning.
How do you pronounce “doppelganger”?
“Doppelganger” is pronounced DOPL-geh-nguh (/ˈdɑp(ə)lˌɡɛŋəɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “doppelganger” in a sentence?
Here is “doppelganger” used in a sentence: “I saw my doppelganger on the train — it was uncanny.”
What part of speech is “doppelganger”?
“Doppelganger” is a noun.
Where does the word “doppelganger” come from?
The word “doppelganger” comes from German. Borrowed directly from German Doppelgänger, literally "double-walker.".
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